College Football Coaching Carousel - 2017-18

That’s interesting. Last I read, Arkansas was going to wait until after the SEC Championship game. If Auburn loses, they’ll offer to Malzahn. If they win, who knows… I don’t think they can wait until after the CFP semifinals since that’ll be after the Early Signing Period.

Nah, Malzahn’s not going anywhere.

Frost to Nebraska.

Removing some parentheses, adding Malzahn subsequent to Auburn’s loss. Willie Taggert made a Pro-Oregon tweet, but nothing substantial to quell rumors of a move to FSU. Expecting an official announcement at ASU tomorrow. I couldn’t find much news from the remaining Group of 5 openings…



School                 Out                   In
Arizona State	     Todd Graham	   (Herm Edwards)
Arkansas	     Brett Bielema         (Gus Malzahn)
(Auburn)            (Gus Malzahn)
Florida	             Jim McElwain           **Dan Mullen**
Florida State        Jimbo Fisher          (Willie Taggert)
Georgia Southern     Tyson Summers          **Chad Lunsford**
Kent State	     Paul Hanes
Mississippi	     Hugh Freeze            **Matt Luke**
Mississippi State    Dan Mullen             **Joe Moorhead**
Nebraska	     Mike Riley             **Scott Frost**
(Oregon)            (Willie Taggert)
Oregon State	     Gary Andersen          **Jonathan Smith**
Rice                 David Bailiff
South Alabama        Joey Jones
Tennessee	     Butch Jones           
Texas A&M            Kevin Sumlin           **Jimbo Fisher**
UCLA	             Jim Mora               **Chip Kelly**
UCF                  Scott Frost
UTEP	             Sean Kugler

Rumors and domino effects in parentheses. Official hires in Bold


I know this might draw some additional snark, but if Jimbo Fisher is gone and if FSU wants someone who’s already familiar with recruiting in Florida and the Southeast, maybe Charlie Strong wouldn’t be a bad coach. I think Strong was in a bad situation in Texas. He’s a good coach, though.

UCF has just about wrapped up a deal with Kevin Sumlin. Per, you know, reports. From sources.

N850EP, due to arrive Lincoln 11:59 PM CST.

Thanks, Coach!

I kind of thought the same thing, but no. Unfortunately for Strong (and I really like the guy), he’s tainted goods now for a program like FSU. I also think that he’s one of those “world class coordinator, so-so head coach” types.

If we get Taggert though and could afford Strong, he’d be a DAMN fine addition as DC. Not going to happen, but a guy can dream…

Added ULL after they fired Mark Hudspeth. Removed Malzahn (and Auburn) after he signed an extension to stay put at Auburn and changed Arkansas’s leading rumor to Mike Norvell. Added Les Miles(!) as a rumor at Tennessee and Kevin Sumlin as a rumor at UCF.

Anyone I’m missing yet?



School                 Out                   In
Arizona State	     Todd Graham	   (Herm Edwards)
Arkansas	     Brett Bielema         (Mike Norvell)
Florida	             Jim McElwain           **Dan Mullen**
Florida State        Jimbo Fisher          (Willie Taggert)
Georgia Southern     Tyson Summers          **Chad Lunsford**
Kent State	     Paul Hanes
Louisiana-Lafeyette  Mark Hudspeth
Mississippi	     Hugh Freeze            **Matt Luke**
Mississippi State    Dan Mullen             **Joe Moorhead**
Nebraska	     Mike Riley             **Scott Frost**
(Oregon)            (Willie Taggert)
Oregon State	     Gary Andersen          **Jonathan Smith**
Rice                 David Bailiff
South Alabama        Joey Jones
Tennessee	     Butch Jones           (Les Miles)
Texas A&M            Kevin Sumlin           **Jimbo Fisher**
UCLA	             Jim Mora               **Chip Kelly**
UCF                  Scott Frost           (Kevin Sumlin)
UTEP	             Sean Kugler

Rumors and domino effects in parentheses. Official hires in Bold


Akron vs. FAU in the Boca Raton Bowl. Wow.

Does anyone else think Terry Bowden and Lane Kiffin are just slumming at those schools, and should be in the Rumors list for something better?

There’s not a slum awful enough for scum like Lane Kiffin
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Nightly update. Finally removed the parentheses from Herm. Sumlin reportedly out as a candidate at UCF with Toledo’s Jason Candle now the lead rumor there. A note on Tennessee: Fulmer apparently has been looking at “Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, SMU head coach Chad Morris and former LSU head coach Les Miles” but Les Miles is the most interesting, so he’s listed here.



School                 Out                   In
Arizona State	     Todd Graham	    **Herm Edwards**
Arkansas	     Brett Bielema         (Mike Norvell)
Florida	             Jim McElwain           **Dan Mullen**
Florida State        Jimbo Fisher          (Willie Taggert)
Georgia Southern     Tyson Summers          **Chad Lunsford**
Kent State	     Paul Hanes            (Bob Nielson)
Louisiana-Lafeyette  Mark Hudspeth
Mississippi	     Hugh Freeze            **Matt Luke**
Mississippi State    Dan Mullen             **Joe Moorhead**
Nebraska	     Mike Riley             **Scott Frost**
(Oregon)            (Willie Taggert)
Oregon State	     Gary Andersen          **Jonathan Smith**
Rice                 David Bailiff
South Alabama        Joey Jones            (Will Healy)
Tennessee	     Butch Jones           (Les Miles)
Texas A&M            Kevin Sumlin           **Jimbo Fisher**
UCLA	             Jim Mora               **Chip Kelly**
UCF                  Scott Frost           (Jason Candle)
UTEP	             Sean Kugler

Rumors and domino effects in parentheses. Official hires in Bold


Story is that Sumlin let UCF’s offer deadline expire, hoping for the Oregon job to open up for him instead. That *might *not work out for him, yanno? Word gets around.

That’s probably for the best. A school near but not at the top level of the food chain could be better off with somebody moving up, wanting to make a mark, than with a guy moving down, who’s just taking what he can until something better comes along.

UCF hires Josh Heupel, having had good luck with former Big 8 quarterbacks lately.

If you guys have the chance, watch some clips from Herm Edwards’ hiring press conference. He’s going to be a terrible fit but a great source of unintentional comedy for at least a couple years there.

I like Herm, he’s an interesting guy and entertaining.

“You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game.”

I have no idea if they’re just blowing off steam, but I saw quite a few people ranting on Pac 12 blogs about not renewing ASU tickets. It helps confirm the point that the Pac 12 is a second class conference when it comes to football.

This is absurd. Talent, facilities and coaching the Pac 12 is right up there. They also aren’t afraid to play difficult OOC opponents. Only the SEC can perhaps make a case to be better. But the Pac 12 swept them this year.

I like Herm a lot, too, but it is a curious hire, to say the least. I’m not sure which is more surprising, that ASU offered it or that Herm took it. I mostly have a hard time imagining Herm connecting with high school kids on the recruiting beat.